Hi Pedsters! I’m fresh off The Atlanta Shoe Market, and besides being exhausted from all the travel, I’m excited to give you a quick summary of The Haps in the industry.

First, (like always nowadays) Covid. Some of you may recall I was in Paris and Milan in March of 2020, when Covid first appeared on stage. Suffice it to say, it scared the bejeezus out of us shoe show travelers. And that’s still at play today. The Atlanta Shoe Market was busy, but not like the days of old. Covid has changed our ways in the show world too, with many buyers opting for online displays and remote ordering (ain’t the internet great?). That said, there was a good crowd; almost back to pre-pandemic levels. But, oohhhh the shoes!

If you’re a loyal Pedster, you’ll know we LOVE color! And Atlanta didn’t disappoint. New designs and designers are loading up on spicy feasts for your eyes, in the way of metallic leathers, multi-toned beauties, and also custom printed leather.

Another fun and funky style buzzing about the show was braided and woven leathers. Many designers are stepping out with their styles, and are embracing contour and texture by using super unique leathers. We have no idea where they get these gorgeous materials, but we definitely say “Yes, Please!” to the incredibly unique treatments we’re seeing.

That’s all for now. As you might remember, many shows are on hold, so we don’t know when the next one will be. But you can be sure we’ll let you know what we see. Just as soon as we see it!

-Dayna

Ped fans, we’re sorry we’ve been so remiss! It occurs to us in the Warrens of the Warehouse that we haven’t shared a Tale of the Sole in ages! And since summer has thoroughly yielded it’s bliss to fall’s chill, it’s the perfect time to tell the following tale. Let’s join Ped fan Marie for a quick trip North of the Border. Way North. To Alaska, to be exact. Here’s her report about her Ped-happy home:

Waiting in line at the alaska-grown vegetable booth at the alaska state fair. a gentleman came up to me and asked, “Young lady, May I ask where you got your boots?

Wearing her Ped Shoes, Marie takes on the wilds of Alaska. (Luckily, the wilds of the farmer’s market are no match for her style either!)

I retrieved a business card from my wallet and handed it to his wife, explaining exactly why I shop at pedshoes :: satisfying shopping experience. meticulous craftsmanship. timeless style.

Trippen through the wilds of Alaska, with Marie

Recently I came to the realization that shoes and, in particular, boots, are tools for my needs. So, I never feel I must rationalize purchasing well-made hand-crafted boots.

Trippen’s Tramp shoe traipsing around the tundra!

And Marie goes on to mention her experience with us Ped-sters:

Dayna is always knowledgeable and helpful, even going as far as donning a pair of show-room boots and shooting a photo when I have questions about appearance and fit. Thank you, Dayna and Ped Shoes for all my unique and artsy tools….

Spreading the Ped Love!

We’re blushing! And as a token of gratitude for sharing her shoes, Ped is delighted to give Marie a $100 gift certificate!

Do you have a Tale of the Sole? Tell us—and show us (we LOVE pictures!!!)—what happened to you while wearing something from Ped, and you, too, might be the recipient of $100 in Ped credit. We’d love to share your sole-ful story on the blog, so let us know what in the world you’ve been doing in your Ped!

Ped fans, we know how it is. Sometimes a style will catch your eye, but you can’t quite envision how it would work with your daily wardrobe. Maybe you think gold is strictly for after-five, or those edgy zippered boots seem too out there for running errands. Or maybe you want to snazz up what you wear, but you’re not sure where to start.

We’re here to help! Below are a few ideas for how to make the most of some of our best autumn boots.

Whether you’re walking the dog, meeting friends for a casual lunch, going to a parent-teacher meeting, or doing all three in the same day, Trippen’s Onion Boot makes a great companion:

The Onion is sassy with this laid-back outfit, but it works equally well with the following throw-it-on-and-go look, which we’ve paired with another zipper-iffic Trippen boot, the Helix:

As we often say, the shoes don’t have to match the outfit, they just have to “go.” We love the interplay of textures and patterns among the sweater, skirt, and Sophie Digard Puzzle Scarf, and the Helix fits right in, even though it’s brown!

If you want to play up its edginess, though, the Helix would work well with this arty casual outfit we put together with the Trippen Amber:

The Amber is such a comfortable way to make a statement that it would also sing with the following outfit, ideal for college students and profs, graphic designers, architects, or anyone else who likes to get creative with what they wear! We’ve pulled out the stops by suggesting either the Trippen Foam or Cydwoq Pitstop as boot options!

Are we getting too edgy for your taste? Well, you might be surprised to discover both the Trippen Foam and Cydwoq Pitstop also work with this more subdued (but still fun) outfit, which we’ve put with the Argila Katniss:

But what if you have a job that requires something dressier, you ask? Well, the Katniss would be equally at home with the following look, guaranteed to wow clients, which we’ve enhanced with Chie Mihara’s stunning Dalatchi:

How cool does the wool-and-leather woven shaft of the Dalatchi look with that skirt? Of course, Cydwoq’s Bright Bag in black is welcome at any meeting!

The Chie Mihara Dalatchi and Cydwoq Bright Bag would also be sensational with the following ensemble, which epitomizes how you don’t need a lot of bells and whistless to look impeccably chic! Ideal for going straight from the office out for cocktails and dinner, this outfit is the perfect setting for Cydwoq’s Involve ankle boot:

Is your imagination sparked? We hope so! There are so many terrific ways to wear Ped’s styles!

Incidentally, all of the outfits above were created using Polyvore, which is a great way to try out wardrobe ideas without having to try everything on.

The rule to remember: Always have fun with how you dress!

(Psst, this week’s Sweet Treat is Coclico’s beautiful Valentine bootie, which would look fab with every single outfit in this post! To receive 20% off the Valentine, simply click “be sweet to your feet” at the bottom of the box on the left of most Ped pages. When you land at the Valentine with the Sweet Treat designation, choose your size, add it to your bag, and the discount will occur automatically at checkout.)

Ped fans, in Part 1, we took a tour through the beautiful flatlands of this season’s ankle boots. (And word to the wise: many more flat-soled booties have since arrived from Trippen, Argila, Cliff Dweller, and Cydwoq! So much to love!)

Today, we’re gaining a little altitude by surveying our favorite heeled bootie designs. So step up and take a look!

When it comes to hella-beautiful heels, Chie Mihara is the reigning queen! She’s solved the difficult equation of how to elevate height and style without lowering comfort. Exhibit A: Chie’s new Carta.

The deep blue “Shantung” leather is as lovely as a midnight sky, and the black leather forming the knot over the toe and wrapping around the 3.5″ heel provides the perfect complement.

Another Chie Mihara beauty that will make you swoon and sigh is the stunning Dalatchi:

The shaft of this low boot is a jaw-dropping weave of wool and leather! We adore the contrast in textures between the shaft, the matte black leather upper, and the sculpted wooden heel and sole.

Argila also woos us with a wooden heel on its new Katniss ankle boot:

The sculpted 2.75″ heel works so beautifully with the streamlined curves of the leather upper on this sexy, sexy boot! Plus, Argila’s brass hardware on the twin zipperss (both inside and outside the shaft) is drop-dead gorgeous!

Like a boot with a few buckles? Argila has something drool-worthy for you, too! Check out the hellaciously great Harriet:

Truly, this is the boot that made everyone at Ped HQ ooh and aah when it came out of the box! From the trio of buckles, to the saucy zipper up the back, to the softly folded leather ruffle spilling out of the top, the Harriet is one hot tamale!

As long as we’re talking about booties with back zippers, let’s wax rhapsodic for moment about the Coclico Valentine:

What a knockout red boot–and it’s not so red that you can’t wear it every day! We especially like how the shaft dips down just slightly in back, making this bootie a good bet for all calves, from curvy to willowy!

Taking things even lower on the ankle is Coclico’s new Nanette, another big favorite this fall:

There’s something about the simple leather tie and slot over the interior tongue that sends this wood-heeled design into the stratosphere of style! And the brick color is versatile yet unusual.

Trippen offers a different take on a laced ankle boot with the easy-going but oh-so chic Facile:

The pearlescent brown leather is first tumbled for softness and then coated with a thin silver wax to give it a lustrous sheen. Plus, the Facile‘s 2.25″ rubber wedge sole lets you add height while remaining grounded.

Fine, fine, fine, all beautiful, but what if you want a bootie that’s an after-five showstopper? Presented for your approval, the Cydwoq Crater:

This femme fatale seduces with black matte leather and leather embossed to look like  lace! And if that’s not flirty enough, Cydwoq closes up the design with two back buttons that reveal just a hint of flesh in between the tabs.

Of course, if you really want to razzle dazzle ’em, zip in and zip up Cydwoq’s Hexagon:

A showboat of a shoe boot! You will definitely be the badass belle of the ball in this chic and edgy beauty! The woven antiqued silver leather will make everyone swoon, but the stable 2″ resin heel ensures you’ll be the last one standing!

We could go on and on because there are still so many beautiful booties to see, but we’ll leave you to explore them on your own at Ped’s main site! When it comes to boots this season, sweet and low is the way to go!

(In keeping with all the low-boot love we’re spreading, this week’s Sweet Treat is Fiorentini + Baker’s fab Elios bootie! Get 20% off by clicking “be sweet to your feet” at the bottom of the box on the left of most Ped pages, which whisks you to the Elios with the special “Sweet Treat” designation. Then pick your size and color, add it to your bag, and the discount will occur automatically at checkout!)

You may have noticed, Ped fans, that this autumn, it’s all about the ankle boot! Sweet and low booties have held sway for several years now, but this season the designs go above and beyond. They’re sexier! They’re more versatile! And they boast more street sass!

So many knockout styles have landed at Ped HQ that we’re breaking our bootie tour into two parts. Today we’ll stay well-grounded with flat boots, and in our next post, we’ll amp up the altitude with heeled designs.

On with the bootie-ful show:

If you’re someone who likes things lean and clean, with zero fuss, Fiorentini + Baker has your holy grail: the Elf!

Simplicity at its chicest, crafted with good lines and lovely materials! We are crazy about the “Bosco” suede version, which is a light tobacco that looks great with everything, but if you must have black, we’ve got your back!

Minimal bells and whistles and maximal softness are also the key elements of the Trippen Bomb:

The Bomb‘s buckle strap is removable, so you can cinch or un-cinch, scrunch or un-scrunch, or even fold the top over, depending on your mood. The washed leather is sinfully buttery (how to stop touching it?), no matter whether you choose the washed brown version shown or the washed black.

Pep Monjo builds a cinching buckle strap right into the design of his Sybil boot:

We love this modern re-imagining of the classic motorcycle boot! Grey is still all the rage and makes a great neutral. Then again, a black boot is always a good bet!

Another convincing argument for going grey–at least, at the ankles–is Cydwoq’s new Mechanic:

How we heart this hearty lace-up with its cool piecing and top-stitching! And the Vibram rubber lug sole means the Mechanic is tooled for all-weather walking!

If you like a little extra fun in your functional bootie, the following three styles might have your name on them. First up, the Cydwoq Beacon is back with extra flair:

The Beacon was one of our biggest hits last year! For extra flash, we’ve added a splash of green and orange plaid suede to the mix. The result? The perfect fall bootie!

Trippen lives up to its reputation for playful designs by stitching a puzzle piece into its new Game boot:

Crafted from unbelievably soft leather, the Game is funky but still versatile and ideal for everyday wear! And who doesn’t love a zipper up the back?

Of course, if we’re talking zippers, our new be-zipped favorite is Trippen’s Helix!

How fun is this boot???!!!??? Not only is the spiral zipper innovative and entertaining, but it also allows you to wear this boot any number of ways! The coolest boot in the house, hands–er, feet–down!

As always, there are even more great flat-soled ankle boots awaiting your discovery at Ped’s main site! In any of these booties, getting caught flat-footed is a good thing!

(And don’t miss this week’s “endless summer” Sweet Treat, the Cydwoq Crete! Become a Greek goddess for 20% off by clicking “be sweet to your feet” at the bottom of the box on the left of most Ped pages. When you land at the Crete with the “Sweet Treat” designation, just add it to your bag to get the discount automatically at checkout.)